Today, my computer monitor is going away. It served me for 6 years, through 3 major computer upgrades. It makes its way for a sleek 15" LCD screen which will take up less space on my already cramped computer table. Alternately increasing and reducing its brightness, it reminded me its time was up.
Now there will be a 'clean spot' the size of a regular monitor on my desk for some time.
RIP
30.7.06
28.7.06
Thought...
Saw a weirdly interesting movie called 'Lake House' the other day. Initial impression based totally on the actors. Expected Keanu Reeves' blank, open-mouthed "I'm the One??" expression and Sandra Bullocks' "I'm the Southern city girl!!!" dialogue delivery. And also the standard Hollywood movie problems, trying to cater to the largest possible audience, screen time for the main actors, unneccessary plot twists, the sappiness of a romantic movie blah blah blah
But that is not why i'm writing this.
The movie was good. Yes. After a phase of 2 years where i saw everything from 'Along Came Polly' to 'Spiderman', i can say FINALLY i saw a decent English movie in a theatre which actually challenges me to think. Parallel universes that collapse and deform and separate and meet, all because of the need to be with someone. The weirdest part was something that someone does in the future changes the past. Now that was so un Hollywoodie. Actually quite a little Hollywoodie. These thought provoking movies seem to come from there quite often. i mean, The Matrix changed the way i think (KRVIA also did, but sorry, the Matrix came first)
So why do we get subjected to crap like 'The Hulk'? Or is it us unfortunate Third World Demographic that gets subjected to trite?
But that is not why i'm writing this.
The movie was good. Yes. After a phase of 2 years where i saw everything from 'Along Came Polly' to 'Spiderman', i can say FINALLY i saw a decent English movie in a theatre which actually challenges me to think. Parallel universes that collapse and deform and separate and meet, all because of the need to be with someone. The weirdest part was something that someone does in the future changes the past. Now that was so un Hollywoodie. Actually quite a little Hollywoodie. These thought provoking movies seem to come from there quite often. i mean, The Matrix changed the way i think (KRVIA also did, but sorry, the Matrix came first)
So why do we get subjected to crap like 'The Hulk'? Or is it us unfortunate Third World Demographic that gets subjected to trite?
22.7.06
Fatitude...
i used to eat a lot. And was blessed with Jughead metabolism. Throughout school and till last year, i was the scrawniest kid but could compete with the big guys in any eating competition.
Not anymore.
It was the generally nice Amritsar trip that started it all. The Punjabi air, lassi, butter chicken and parathas etc. Then Himachal which was freezing cold and made eating the general pastime. i come back and realise i've gained 4 kilos in 2 weeks. Which seemed ok back then. But since that fateful October, my Jughead-ity has been lost. With a truck tire and a pregnant paunch, i am embarassed to say i've joined the fat brigade...
So i have decided to reduce my food intake. Not diet. Which means, when i feel like eating 3 samosas dripping with oil, i will eat only 2. And my fatness meter is my fellow classmates. The resistance that a finger prod to the stomach brings is the measure of fatness. Less the resistance, more the fat. And i hope i can squeeze a few minutes of jogging in a day.
But its damn surprising to me how much a few extra kilos can change one's self image. Now i'm (trying to) constantly suck my stomach in, sitting in positions that do not reveal my girth.
This seems a good test for my will power. How long will it be before i go for that desired extra slice of pizza? And i'm sure the peanuts i'm munching on are doing something. Maybe the football i played last afternoon will count...
i need to eat. And i should be allowed to eat. Without being prodded.
Not anymore.
It was the generally nice Amritsar trip that started it all. The Punjabi air, lassi, butter chicken and parathas etc. Then Himachal which was freezing cold and made eating the general pastime. i come back and realise i've gained 4 kilos in 2 weeks. Which seemed ok back then. But since that fateful October, my Jughead-ity has been lost. With a truck tire and a pregnant paunch, i am embarassed to say i've joined the fat brigade...
So i have decided to reduce my food intake. Not diet. Which means, when i feel like eating 3 samosas dripping with oil, i will eat only 2. And my fatness meter is my fellow classmates. The resistance that a finger prod to the stomach brings is the measure of fatness. Less the resistance, more the fat. And i hope i can squeeze a few minutes of jogging in a day.
But its damn surprising to me how much a few extra kilos can change one's self image. Now i'm (trying to) constantly suck my stomach in, sitting in positions that do not reveal my girth.
This seems a good test for my will power. How long will it be before i go for that desired extra slice of pizza? And i'm sure the peanuts i'm munching on are doing something. Maybe the football i played last afternoon will count...
i need to eat. And i should be allowed to eat. Without being prodded.
18.7.06
Censorship...
Seems like George Bush has found new friends.
All in the Indian government. i can't believe they've blocked blogspot.com. From what i hear, its not a mistake.
After 7/11, the government does not increase security at railway stations. It does not ban SIMI, the Shiv Sena and like-minded organisations. It does not bother to do anything serious. But blocking a few websites will make sure that "the terrorist threat is tackled". This is the response to a tragedy that killed 200 people? We all know which country harbours these terrorists. Hell, we even know where their camps are. But trying to ban "bloodspot.com" and ending up banning "blogspot.com" tells me three things:
1) The government does not care who dies, how they die and how many die as long as it does not affect the status quo.
2) They can't spell, read or write properly.
3) They don't have a spine.
C'mon government censors. We are not China. That's what makes our development such a spectacle. We are entitled to our free speech. And if the blocking happened really because of a typo, then i further lose my respect for all of you. Arjun Singh, maybe this should get you to ensure free and fair primary education for all.
All in the Indian government. i can't believe they've blocked blogspot.com. From what i hear, its not a mistake.
After 7/11, the government does not increase security at railway stations. It does not ban SIMI, the Shiv Sena and like-minded organisations. It does not bother to do anything serious. But blocking a few websites will make sure that "the terrorist threat is tackled". This is the response to a tragedy that killed 200 people? We all know which country harbours these terrorists. Hell, we even know where their camps are. But trying to ban "bloodspot.com" and ending up banning "blogspot.com" tells me three things:
1) The government does not care who dies, how they die and how many die as long as it does not affect the status quo.
2) They can't spell, read or write properly.
3) They don't have a spine.
C'mon government censors. We are not China. That's what makes our development such a spectacle. We are entitled to our free speech. And if the blocking happened really because of a typo, then i further lose my respect for all of you. Arjun Singh, maybe this should get you to ensure free and fair primary education for all.
12.7.06
The Day After...
Traffic seems ok.
Rail services running just a little late.
Attendance in offices seemingly normal.
Life is back on track.
A day after 200 people die in 7 bomb blasts along the lifeline of the city.
Sometimes, i wonder.
Is it the never say die spirit of the city?
Is it the awareness that death may strike as and when it pleases?
Is it the hopelessness of living in a city that kills you every day little by little?
Don't get me wrong. i love this city.
But sometimes, i wonder about its "spirit".
Maybe the spirit is a certain amount of heartlessness.
Maybe we have all become emotionally dead.
Maybe that's why when a disaster happens, we do such a good job.
Floods, bombs, riots. We've seen them all. And we don't bat an eyelid.
No adverse reactions to seeing mangled bodies popping out of train compartments.
Years of getting pushed around in trains and buses. Coming back to cramped matchboxes called 'home'. Seeing unimaginable misery near every slum pocket.
Leaves no space for 'emotion'. Otherwise we would all be insane by now.
Salaam Mumbai. You have held your nerve. You have been brave. But there's nothing wrong with mourning.
Rail services running just a little late.
Attendance in offices seemingly normal.
Life is back on track.
A day after 200 people die in 7 bomb blasts along the lifeline of the city.
Sometimes, i wonder.
Is it the never say die spirit of the city?
Is it the awareness that death may strike as and when it pleases?
Is it the hopelessness of living in a city that kills you every day little by little?
Don't get me wrong. i love this city.
But sometimes, i wonder about its "spirit".
Maybe the spirit is a certain amount of heartlessness.
Maybe we have all become emotionally dead.
Maybe that's why when a disaster happens, we do such a good job.
Floods, bombs, riots. We've seen them all. And we don't bat an eyelid.
No adverse reactions to seeing mangled bodies popping out of train compartments.
Years of getting pushed around in trains and buses. Coming back to cramped matchboxes called 'home'. Seeing unimaginable misery near every slum pocket.
Leaves no space for 'emotion'. Otherwise we would all be insane by now.
Salaam Mumbai. You have held your nerve. You have been brave. But there's nothing wrong with mourning.
11.7.06
9.7.06
Tiger Tiger Burning Bright...
The Shiv Sena has never ceased to amaze me for it's intelligence. But today it just left me awestruck. The Thackerays know they have no clout left, not in Mumbai, not in the rest of Maharashtra. So they pick the perfect day to make a "show of strength". Who leaves their homes before 6 p.m. on a Sunday? Perfect time to call a bandh. No one will be on the streets and the Shiv Sena can claim it was successful (whatever that means). In fact, i wonder if even the "desecration" was real. And if it was, i doubt anyone but the Sena has the balls to do it. And as i see traffic on the roads but the news showing images of a burning bus, i can't believe Uddhav Thackeray is claiming a victory as hollow as the Shiv Sena's ideals. The Tiger is dead.
6.7.06
Big City Blues...
After a long day at Bhayander going from house to house asking the same 15 questions while dodging mad rickshaws and unpredictable group members, i have a list! (David Letterman style!!!)
YOU KNOW YOU LIVE IN A BIG CITY WHEN...
10) You can't hear the voices in your head thanks to the traffic
9) Your idea of relaxation is Himesh Reshammiya from a rickshaw's torn speakers
8) You're in an empty train you purposely hit the door as you get off, just because you miss the mind boggling rush
7) You talk to people, they're also talking on their cell phones and listening to their music players
6) The closest you came to having a pet was the crow that ate your leftovers every day
5) You have school friends, junior college friends, college friends, building friends, football friends, classes friends, online friends, friends of friends...
4) A black oily liquid is what is left of the sea.
3) When you ring a doorbell, you are assumed to be a salesman unless you show some i.d.
2) The longest conversation of the day were the insults you shouted at the local pervert
And
1) Reading this post makes you say "Hey! That happened to me!" atleast thrice
YOU KNOW YOU LIVE IN A BIG CITY WHEN...
10) You can't hear the voices in your head thanks to the traffic
9) Your idea of relaxation is Himesh Reshammiya from a rickshaw's torn speakers
8) You're in an empty train you purposely hit the door as you get off, just because you miss the mind boggling rush
7) You talk to people, they're also talking on their cell phones and listening to their music players
6) The closest you came to having a pet was the crow that ate your leftovers every day
5) You have school friends, junior college friends, college friends, building friends, football friends, classes friends, online friends, friends of friends...
4) A black oily liquid is what is left of the sea.
3) When you ring a doorbell, you are assumed to be a salesman unless you show some i.d.
2) The longest conversation of the day were the insults you shouted at the local pervert
And
1) Reading this post makes you say "Hey! That happened to me!" atleast thrice
4.7.06
Mee Mumbaikar...
Wow. Talk about paranoia.
"Andheri is under water!"
- Aaj Tak reporter standing in 3 inches of water
"Is Mumbai sinking?"
-Poll question on CNN-IBN
And frantic calls from friends and relatives living outside Mumbai who assume one of the following:
1) Mumbai constitutes of 2 suburbs
2) All the news channels are honest
"We heard Dadar had neck high water. You live close by right?"
Yes. Dadar is 40 mins away by road. Unless the rain gets stuck at Mahim causeway like all cars do, it's quite close.
"Have you got emergency equipment ready?"
Yes. We have a complicated emergency response system. Step One is not picking up the phone. Especially the outstation phone calls.
Ok sorry. It's nice to know they care. But as i look out of my window and see people wading in waist deep water, the brand new car about to become a malfunctioning submarine and notice that water is in the wrong places (and not in the taps) and reports of people receiving electric shocks in the area...
i can't help but think i'VE BEEN THROUGH WORSE!!!
i guess that's what makes me a true blue Mumbaikar...
"Andheri is under water!"
- Aaj Tak reporter standing in 3 inches of water
"Is Mumbai sinking?"
-Poll question on CNN-IBN
And frantic calls from friends and relatives living outside Mumbai who assume one of the following:
1) Mumbai constitutes of 2 suburbs
2) All the news channels are honest
"We heard Dadar had neck high water. You live close by right?"
Yes. Dadar is 40 mins away by road. Unless the rain gets stuck at Mahim causeway like all cars do, it's quite close.
"Have you got emergency equipment ready?"
Yes. We have a complicated emergency response system. Step One is not picking up the phone. Especially the outstation phone calls.
Ok sorry. It's nice to know they care. But as i look out of my window and see people wading in waist deep water, the brand new car about to become a malfunctioning submarine and notice that water is in the wrong places (and not in the taps) and reports of people receiving electric shocks in the area...
i can't help but think i'VE BEEN THROUGH WORSE!!!
i guess that's what makes me a true blue Mumbaikar...
1.7.06
Orkut...
Got invited to be member of orkut and realised what the madness was about. "I scrapped you yesterday you didn't see or wot?" i'm sure we've all heard sentences like this and more. And it's damn popular. And user-friendly. And its also really funny to watch Paul with a parrot on his forearm in his display pic. He looks like one of those Hollywood environmentalists...
But let's get down to the facts. Orkut is extremely inefficient. If i have to tell someone something, i have to send a scrap which may or may not be read. And it's not like email which shows 'You've got mail' everytime you get one. And its not as urgent as any Messenger. So it's not mail, it's not messaging, it's not an SMS... wow! i thot if you have these three you don't need anything else to be in contact with someone... but NO! orkut has come to the rescue....
What is it about Orkut that people like so much? Is it the exclusivity? Knowing that you've been "invited" to join "a global community of like-minded individuals"? The number of scraps you get that always feature next to your name? "Oh look what a loser... he/she has just 59012 scraps compared to my 75123." And what about the utopian idea of the World Wide Web; the one that professes no boundaries and no popularity contests?
And there's more.... but i have to reply to someone's scrap about my photo. And also add someone to my list. And laugh again at Paul's display pic.
(is the parrot called Polly?)
But let's get down to the facts. Orkut is extremely inefficient. If i have to tell someone something, i have to send a scrap which may or may not be read. And it's not like email which shows 'You've got mail' everytime you get one. And its not as urgent as any Messenger. So it's not mail, it's not messaging, it's not an SMS... wow! i thot if you have these three you don't need anything else to be in contact with someone... but NO! orkut has come to the rescue....
What is it about Orkut that people like so much? Is it the exclusivity? Knowing that you've been "invited" to join "a global community of like-minded individuals"? The number of scraps you get that always feature next to your name? "Oh look what a loser... he/she has just 59012 scraps compared to my 75123." And what about the utopian idea of the World Wide Web; the one that professes no boundaries and no popularity contests?
And there's more.... but i have to reply to someone's scrap about my photo. And also add someone to my list. And laugh again at Paul's display pic.
(is the parrot called Polly?)
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